The Last Flower
by ScribbledCrayon
Summary: So, paradise is among us and we are finally free of the horrible suffering of our former lives. All thanks to a girl and her four wolves. And now the wolves are living their new lives. The girl's sacrifice was cherished. No flower maidens remain... right?
1. The Encounter

Because I am such a remarkably lazy person by nature, I shall not repeat myself and will instead direct you to the first chapter of _Witch Tales_ to get the scoop on why there are so many updates at once.

Although, I do feel the urge to warn you that the first few chapters of this are _terribly_ written and, once again, I'm just too lazy to rewrite them. This spawned out of a random idea I had, but that is no excuse for the lameness. I can only ask your forgiveness now before you go out to buy your tomatoes, hoping to seek your mercy.

It will be better in the future, I promise.

And hopefully longer. All these first chapters are at least half as small, if not a third, as the chapters from both _Witch Tales_ and _Digimon Heroes._ Even more of a reason to despise these.

Yuck.

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters save for Charlie and her family. Virtually 90 of everyone else will belong to Studio Bones and anyone else responsible for the creation of _Wolf's Rain._ Please do not sue me for using them... and please do not sue me for my bad writing, either. I'm broke, I swear._

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**The Encounter**

* * *

_La la la la la_

_A soft breeze carried the voice down through the valley, echoing off the towering stonewalls. Looking up, one could see the walls went on for practically forever. A small strip of cloud-spotted blue was proof enough that it didn't._

_La la la la la_

_The breeze swept in soft whispers down the walls, leaving a sharp whistle with every crack it passed, and pulled up just enough to skim over the valley floor. The field of flowers swayed gently like the rippling of a sea of white._

_La la la la la_

_A delicate, sweet scent wafted before her. Eyes slid shut as she inhaled deeply, letting the tingling sensations that rippled over her skin fill her entire body, inside and out. There was such… life… in that scent… unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Life… and mystery… and… something else… something she couldn't quite identify, but… shouldn't she?_

_La la la la la_

_Her eyes snapped open. There was the girl again. She sat upon a small knoll, a wave in the sea of flowers, her legs tucked neatly beneath her. Short, silky strands of lilac hair danced on her smooth cheeks, small cherry lips parted with the enchanting tune passing through. Her heavily lidded eyes were cast downward, focused on something among the blossoms._

_La la la la la_

_The onlooker's gaze fell to where the girl's hands were stroking the flowers. Long, elegant fingers combed through the petals like strands of hair, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she sang._

_La la la la la_

_Suddenly, the blossoms rose. A shaggy, white mass rose from the sea and turned to face the spectator._

_La la la la laaaaaaaaaaa……_

_Flower maiden… Where are you?_

* * *

"Charlie! It's 7:00! Time to get up!"

A load groan and shuffle of bed sheets was the response.

The young woman smiled, shaking her head. Sharp tugging on the hem of her shirt caught her attention, and, without looking down at the children, she jerked her chin at the closed door.

"Go ahead," she told them. "Go get her."

The siblings exchanged glances before donning identical wicked grins and tearing out of the kitchen and down the hallway, stampeding through the door with the strength of an elephant, screaming just as loud.

The woman chuckled and returned to her paper, fingers skimming over the indentations quickly.

"Five… four… three… two…"

"THAT'S IT!"

Sure enough, seconds later, the twins were racing out just as quickly, screaming what sounded like "Child abuse!" at the top of their lungs, a furious older sister at their heels. She paused in her pursuit long enough to throw her mother a deadly glare. "Don't pretend you don't know I'm glaring at you," she hissed before taking off after the twins again.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, sweetheart," her mother called out sweetly.

"Yeah, yeah," was her daughter's response.

* * *

_You're here… I can feel it… the lunar flower…_

* * *

Several minutes later found the twins peeling caked toothpaste off of their clothes and the sister responsible in the bathroom, brushing her teeth with said toothpaste and a satisfied smirk settled across her face.

"Serves them right," she told herself as she sloshed the foam in her mouth and spit it into the sink. Reaching for a hand towel, she wiped the excess toothpaste from her mouth and leaned forward, pulling back her lips to inspect her work.

_La la la la la_

The towel dropped to the countertop. Her hands braced the sides of the sink as she leaned over it, long tresses veiling her sight from her own reflection. Lips parted slightly as her breath suddenly came short, her arms trembling lightly.

_It's always the same dream,_ she thought wearily. _The song, the valley, the flowers, the girl, and… _

"Charlie! Breakfast is ready!"

"Coming!" she replied, shaking her head and straightening, turning to open the bathroom door. But as she walked back toward the kitchen, she still couldn't shake the last vision from her mind.

The piercing gaze of the golden eyes.

* * *

_I can sense you… you're close… so close…_

* * *

"Charlie, we're going to-"

"-be so totally late!"

A pair of irritated violet eyes glared at the twins through the rearview mirror.

"It's not _my_ fault that two certain somebodies who shall remain unknown _accidentally_ tripped over my alarm clock plug," she retorted sourly.

From the twins' vantage point, a hand reached out from the passenger seat to rest on Charlie's shoulder. "Chill out, Char. It's not like Sam and Tim did anything on purpose."

"That's right," piped the younger of the two.

"We'd never," agreed her brother.

Charlie scowled, throwing her companion a look that bled betrayal. The third sibling merely grinned, winking briefly before turning over her shoulder, raising a hand to her mouth.

"Of course," she added, whispering loudly, "I'm only saying that so she stays calm enough to drop me off at school. You guys are on your own as soon as I set foot on campus."

"And without Whitney to hide behind," Charlie added, a devilish grin slowly growing on her face, "your fate will be in _my_ hands."

"Charlene can't hurt us," Tim assured his sister. "Mom'll ground her if she does."

"Yeah, Tim, keep believing that," Whitney laughed. "You sound so convincing with shaking hands and puppy dog pajamas on."

"We already told you," Sam argued in her brother's defense. "It's pajama day!"

"That's enough, you guys," Charlie ordered. "No fighting unless I can come out the win-"

"Charlie! Look out!" Whitney screamed.

Feet slammed on the brakes before any logical reasoning as to what she was avoiding even had time to cross her mind. Next thing she knew, four screams shot through her ear as they skidded across the pavement, tires screeching.

"Everyone stay down!" Charlie yelled as her hands dropped from the crazily spinning steering wheel, leaving it to straighten itself as she was taught. With one hand clinging to the edge of the seat, the other reached out for her sister's hand, squeezing firmly.

_God, please don't let us die,_ she begged, eyes clasping shut.

* * *

_At last… I've found you…_

* * *

It took several seconds after they had finally coasted to a stop before Charlie cautiously opened one eye enough to confirm that God had apparently answered her small plea. Opening both eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is everyone okay?"

"Ugh, yeah," Whitney moaned, a hand cradling her head tenderly. "I just bumped my head on the seat rest, is all," she added at the sight of her elder sister's worried expression.

Charlie's brow furrowed but she didn't comment, instead opting for twisting around in her seat. "Tim? Sam? What about you two? You all right?"

"Yeah," mumbled one while the other sniffled loudly, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"Sam," Charlie called softly, holding out her hand to the whimpering girl. The child looked at the hand, tears still clinging onto her eyelashes, hesitating only a moment before grabbing it, offering her worried sibling a teary smile. Charlie returned the smile with one of her own, squeezing the small hand in reassurance.

Tim, a little impatient for the sentimentalities to end, pressed his face up against the window, trying to shove himself close enough into the glass to see the front of the van. "What did we hit, anyway?"

Sam gasped, eyes wide. "We hit something!?" she squeaked, looking like she was ready to burst into tears all over again.

"Yeah, didn't you feel it?" Tim continued. "It must have been a buffalo or something."

"There are no buffalo in West Cove, Timmy," Whitney told him, still dazed.

"What was it, then?" he demanded.

"Tim, that's enough," Charlie said, exasperated.

The boy frowned only briefly before tearing off his seatbelt and opening the door. "Well, I want to go see what we hit," he exclaimed as he jogged along the side of the vehicle.

Charlie sighed, about to call out for her little brother when his voice rang out in child-like awe. "_Whoa_! Hey, you guys! Check this out!"

The three girls exchanged confused glances before unbuckling themselves and moving out of the van to join Tim at his side.

'Whoa' was an understatement. Fresh new tears started trickling down Sam's face as she buried her face in Charlie's side. Charlie's arm wrapped around the child's shoulders while, on her other side, Whitney gasped, holding a hand to her mouth in shock. Tim stood in front of them, staring down at the evidence of their abrupt stop. No one could say a word.

Crimson liquid oozed down the grill and headlights, dripping into a pool on the pavement. Blood splashed all across the street, streaked down the lane for at least half a block by the tires. Everything reeked of that salty, pungent stench.

"Oh my god," Charlie whispered, horrified.

Sam refused to peek, latching herself even tighter onto her sister's leg. Tim stood transfixed to the spot, eyes locked on the blood.

"Man, Whit," he breathed, his 9-year-old boy mentality fascinated by the sight. "What was it you saw?"

"I-I don't know," she admitted, stammering, her fingers fluttering over her lips as she stared. "All I remember was white… something white just flashed in front of us and… and…"

"White?"

Whitney glanced at her sister, wondering whether or not she had imagined her voice. She stared at a spot before her, her normally pale skin almost completely bleached, lips parted as her breath suddenly left her.

"You're sure you saw white?" she repeated softly.

Whitney nodded, licking her lips nervously as her eyes followed Charlie's intent gaze.

The only area that wasn't painted in red was a trunk-sized space just beneath the front of the van. The trickling blood around the borders didn't help to reveal the identity of the offended victim, but a trail of heavy padded paw prints into the alleyway assured that it was some form of canine.

"Yeah, I'm sure."


	2. The Meeting

_Greetings once more._

_Oh, what's that you say? You'd... you'd like to know how my weekend went?_

_Well, gee, I'd be more than happy to relate my weekend to you! For starters, I spent two days at the Anime Expo having an absolute blast hanging out with some amazing friends of mine. Of course, the highlight of the weekend culminated in two experiences taking place merely two hours from each other on the last day. First off, I got to meet Peter S. Beagle._

_Yes. You heard me right. **The author of "The Last Unicorn"** Peter S. Beagle._

_It's okay. You may be shocked. I'm not completely sure I believe it happened myself._

_And second? Why, only the most delightful surprise of my life upon discovering Vic Mignogna was to be the conductor of the closing ceremonies._

_And why should that be a big deal, you might be thinking? Well... to anyone who knows me, I am the single most obnoxiously huge fan of FMA's Edward Elric, and Vic's voice is a large stinking part of why I have the right to claim that title. I was down right embarassingly happy to see him in person for the first time._

_Why oh why, Vic, do you have to be married? -mourns-_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**The Meeting**

* * *

_Kiba_

"…_Cheza?"_

_Kiba_

"_Cheza, where are you?"_

_Kiba_

"_Where did you go? I thought… I found you…"_

_Kiba_

"_Cheza… where are you…"_

_Kiba_

"_Cheza… where…"_

_Kiba_

Slowly, his eyes opened, blinking as sunlight flooded his vision. It took a moment for the blurriness to fade enough for him to take in the dark stripes in front of his face. Steel bars.

He was in a cage.

He tried to push himself to his feet, but collapsed back to the ground in a heap of bloodied fur and soiled bandages, having little strength to do otherwise. Despite the minor fall, the impact drew a low whine from his throat as he lay his head back down, his chest heaving with the sudden labor of breathing.

_The last time I was in a cage was when I was first looking for you,_ he thought wearily, his eyelids already beginning to flutter.

_I'm still searching for you,_ he reminded himself. _I'm still searching._

_Why? Why am I looking for you?_

_Why are you here?_

"Charlie, are you sure you're okay?"

Charlie smiled, shaking her head. "Yes, Mom, for the millionth time, I'm okay."

Mrs. Townsend shrugged. "Not everyone is alright after running over an animal. You just sound out of it," she insisted, reaching for her coffee mug. When her fingers didn't feel the mug, she sighed, throwing a playful glare at the space where she heard her eldest daughter giggling. "It's not very nice to play tricks on the handicapped," she told her.

Charlie snorted, sipping the mug's contents before returning it to her mother. "Mom, you're not handicapped so stop trying to play that card," she replied with the air of someone who had rehearsed a speech. "Not only are you a single mom that somehow manages to take care of four children, paying the bills with more than enough to live comfortably, you do it all without your eyes."

"Who needs eyes when I've got you, Char," she replied, throwing an arm around her daughter's shoulders and squeezing tightly.

"Yup," Charlie agreed, squeezing back, "and as long as you can't see me stealing your coffee, who needs cable for entertainment when I've got you?"

"Ha ha," Mrs. Townsend joked, releasing her daughter. "Very funny. What time is it?"

Charlie glanced at her watch. "Time to go," she announced, standing. She left her mother's side long enough to grab the car keys before returning, helping her to her feet and leading her to the door.

"There aren't any puppy guts on the seat, are there?"

Charlie scowled. "That's not even funny, Mom."

The woman's laughter rang through the hallways as the door shut behind them.

"So, what might you ladies be looking for?"

Mrs. Townsend smiled in the direction of the man's voice. "Oh, you know, just looking to expand the family. She's the eldest of four, you see, so obviously one that's good with children. Charlie has this odd notion that some burglar might come into the house while she's not around to protect me, like the good mother she is, so she's been insisting on something to take her place while she's gone."

The man nodded, watching as Charlie knelt before each barred door, sticking her fingers through the bars and giggling when the occupants licked her fingers. "I see. A family pet and security buff, then? Well, take your pick. All our dogs have undergone behavior counseling before we bring them here, so they're all ready to go home, though I can give you my recommendations when it comes to suitable guard dogs."

"It's so hard to choose," Charlie spoke up, fondling the ear of a mottled beagle, pressing his head close to the bars to allow her fingers better access to his favorite scratching spot. She smiled. "Aw, do you like that, little guy?"

_Where are you? You feel so close…_

Charlie's head shot up. A very low moan caught her attention, and, oblivious to the puppy's whimpering, she slowly stood and made her way to the back of the pound.

The aisle ended up being much longer than she had originally thought. It seemed to extend forever as she tried to locate the source behind the moan, the voices of her mother and the animal shelter worker fading behind her. Neither noticed as the girl disappeared among the forest of bars.

_You're coming… but I don't see you…_

The aisle finally ended, and Charlie founder herself looking around wildly, wondering where the creature was. To her left, a small tan Chihuahua yapped irritably at her, leaping up along the length of the metal bars. To her right was an empty stall, a dark doghouse and a half full water bowl being the only testaments to its last inhabitant.

"Where…"

_You're here… finally…_

* * *

Movement to her right forced her to whip her head in that direction. It must not have been as uninhabited as she thought. Something was emerging from the doghouse.

* * *

He didn't open his eyes. He let his nose guide him to his feet, still struggling, yet he refused to fall as he dragged himself from the small box, stepping into the light. The familiar aroma hung so heavy in the air was nearly intoxicating; it was difficult to keep his head as he moved closer to the source of the scent. He drew a deep breath, inhaling the heady fragrance.

_Cheza… at last…_

Slowly, he opened his eyes and lifted his gaze. He wanted to see his flower maiden, once again.

* * *

Charlie gasped.

"It's you."

_The same white fur… the same gold eyes…_

She flinched when the beast's eyes widened as his fierce gaze rested on her for the first time.

* * *

The young woman peering down at him caught him off guard. She… wasn't what he had expected.

What he expected were the almond-shaped crimson eyes he remembered so well. Short, silky lavender tresses floating around her small, child-like face as if she were submerged in water. Pale skin that nearly disappeared as she danced through the snow. Always that small, warm smile and tender expression that made her entire visage light up with an otherworldly glow.

He walked out of the dim shelter with such a strong vision of her in his mind, when he finally opened his eyes, he thought he saw her for real.

But all too quickly, the vision blurred, and in its place stood a stranger.

Brilliant violet eyes stared down at him, wide with probably as much shock as he was feeling. Delicate brows hung underneath a wrinkled forehead, all cushioned beneath a curtain of long, auburn bangs. High cheekbones, a slender nose and a slightly rounded chin made the face a somewhat willowy, but not unattractive sight.

The girl stood leaning over his cage, more auburn hair spilling over her shoulder. She unconsciously pulled it back behind her ear, unaware of the action, nor of the fact that she was still staring at him.

He blinked, suddenly overwhelmed by his confusion.

_You're… not Cheza…_

* * *

Charlie was vaguely aware of lowering to her knees as she stared, awestruck, at the same creature that appeared in her dreams, always haunting her with its unforgettable gaze. Despite the fact that he now sported bloodied bandages over nearly every inch of his coat, there was no mistake. He was the one.

She watched as he took a step back, raising his head slightly, nose testing the air warily. _He seems confused_, she realized as he stared at her, a bizarre combination of disbelief and struggling hope washed over his face.

Did she do that?

"Charlie?"

"No, don't touch him! He's dangerous!"

* * *

The only thing that registered through his mind as he locked eyes with the stranger that smelled like Cheza was that the smell was getting slightly stronger. It was the slow movement of her fingers from the corner of his vision that finally broke him away from her mesmerizing gaze.

The girl, herself, wasn't even aware of the fact that she had stuck her hand through the bars and was slowly reaching out to touch him, he realized. He stared at the hand, expression blank, not wanting to feel the touch of someone who wasn't Cheza… and yet there were little voices in his head that seemed to be in an alliance with both his nose as well as his muscles that refused to let him move away.

Even though his eyes showed him unquestionable proof that this girl was not Cheza, his nose and every other part of him wanted to deny the evidence. The scent was too familiar, too overwhelmingly familiar. For too long had he depended on his instincts for him to merely push them aside so easily. And so, with little other defenses, he simply did what felt natural.

He closed the distance between her hand and his head, ears folding back as he gently pressed into her palm.

* * *

All she could think of was destroying that frighteningly vulnerable expression from his face. To return that dignified, impenetrable air that she remembered from her dreams. It never even occurred to her that she was reaching out to _pet_ him.

Not until she felt the soft fur press almost urgently into her hand. This time, her shock only stalled her momentarily before she reacted. Slowly, she moved her hand, splaying her fingers to rub at the spot between his ears. A low rumble erupted from his chest that relayed his pleasure.

* * *

"Well, I'll be."

Mrs. Townsend looked up toward his face, frowning. "What's the matter? Is everything all right?"

The shelter worker merely whistled, pushing back his hat as he shook his head. "Yeah, it's fine, it's just… well, that thing wouldn't let _anyone_ get within ten feet of his cage without lashing out. Now, you're daughter's scratching his head like it's the most natural thing in the world."

Mrs. Townsend nodded understandingly, smiling. "Yes, well, Charlie does seem to have that effect on animals. It's really a gift."

"Ma'am, I'd have to call it more of a miracle than a gift," he admitted.

Mrs. Townsend's smile wavered. The shelter keeper didn't notice. Slowly, she opened her eyes, letting her glassy, unfocused gaze rest on her daughter.

"You're right," she agreed softly. "She is a miracle."

* * *

_For the record, I just thought I'd add that this is NOT in any way, shape or form to be a Kiba x OC pairing. Though it may look like it at times, I assure you that that is not how it'll end up. Just had to get that out on the table._

_And also... once again, I apologize for the crappiness of this all._


	3. The Arrival

Bah. I'm bored. So here's another crappy chapter.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**The Arrival**

* * *

"Charlie?"

Charlie jumped, startled, and glanced up at her mother, seated on the couch, her legs crossed beneath her. She, herself, was on the floor, abruptly snapped from her trance-like state, staring at the white creature with its head in her lap. Her fingers combed through the fur at the base of his neck while a deep rumbling communicated his contentment.

"He's sounds happy," Mrs. Townsend noted absently.

Charlie shrugged, dropping her gaze back to the white head in her lap. "I guess so."

"He hasn't left your side since we left the shelter," her mother added.

"Don't know why," Charlie admitted, fingers moving behind his ears. They swiveled in place, noting the change and apparently approving.

"It's your gift. Even the man at the shelter agreed."

"Maybe…"

He could hardly remember the last time he felt so content. In the past, he probably would have considered laying on a human's lap, being coddled and rubbed like a pet, was far beneath him. But now, with memories of Cheza and the heavy scent of lunar flower flooding his senses, all he could concentrate on in his weakened state of mind was that he was happy.

As he left the prison with the flower maiden, faint traces of an insistent thought nagged at the back of his mind, reminding him that this girl was a stranger. That she was not Cheza.

_But why does she carry the scent of lunar flower_? his mind argued, pushing the irritating voice away. _That scent cannot be feigned. She is a true flower maiden._

But she is not _your_ flower maiden. She is not Cheza.

_I know that,_ he insisted stubbornly. _But she is still a flower maiden. And I'm going to find out why. In this age, there shouldn't be lunar flowers. Cheza's sacrifice made sure of that. I want to know why she's here, and why she smells of lunar flowers._

You're going to sacrifice your pride to become enslaved by a family of humans, all for the purpose of discovering the girl's identity?

_If I must…_

"What are you going to name him?"

Charlie shrugged, amused by how her fingers left waves as she stroked the white fur. "I don't really know. Why don't you name him?"

Mrs. Townsend shook her head. "It doesn't seem proper for me to name him."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. It's just that it sounds more like he chose you than you chose him. I'm not sure if he'd accept a name from anyone but you."

"Mm," Charlie responded absently.

Suddenly, the weight on her lap vanished as the beast lifted his head to stare at the door, ears perked forward. Charlie's head rose also, following his gaze.

"They're home," she announced quietly.

"What?" Mrs. Townsend repeated.

As if on cue, the door opened, and the remaining three Townsend children burst in through the door.

"Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?" screamed the twins, racing into the living room. Whitney followed at a more leisurely pace, offering Charlie an apologetic smile as she entered the room.

"Sorry, Char. They wouldn't leave me alone unless I spilled that-"

"Whoa!"

"What is it?"

"It's a wolf!"

"A real one?"

"It's not a wolf, you morons."

"The kind that eat little kids?"

"That's so cool!"

"No it's not!"

"You guys! It's not a wolf!"

"Enough!"

Three mouths snapped shut and four pairs of eyes snapped to Charlie's form, standing protectively in front of the guest. An uneasy stillness rested in the room among the humans, Charlie staring down each of her younger siblings as they watched her, stunned into silence. The white beast behind her watched as well, documenting her actions in his mind curiously.

Mrs. Townsend broke the silence, adjusting herself in her seat softly. "Guys, we all need to take it easy with him," she said, earning the attention of the three children. "The man at the shelter says he's really uneasy around people. He almost wouldn't let us take him, but because he seems to trust Charlie, he was willing to sign him off to us."

"Will he eat us?" Sam asked shyly.

Whitney sighed, rolling her eyes. "I already told you, Sam. He's not going to eat you."

"Not if you don't give him a reason to," Mrs. Townsend added teasingly. "If you're really nice and give him his space, he'd like you too much to eat you."

"What if I _want_ him to eat me?" Tim asked hopefully.

"You little runt," Whitney laugh, clapping an arm around his neck in a loose headlock. The boy laughed back, pulling out of her grasp and leaping to try to do the same. The girl grinned down at him as he couldn't quite reach, but when he finally hooked onto her shoulders, she slipped her arms under his knees and hoisted him onto her back.

While the siblings played, Sam took a timid step forward, nervous as the creature's eyes rested on her. He didn't feel threatened by the tiny human at all, and his non-defensive posture showed it, but this knowledge didn't lessen the edginess she felt while in its presence. She glanced up at Charlie, who watched the girl's approach carefully.

"What's his name?"

Charlie shrugged, looking back down at the white beast at the same time it looked up at her, almost as if to re-affirm the same question. "I don't know, yet," she admitted.

"Are you going to name him?"

"I guess so."

Sam looked back at the enormous canine, eyes wandering over his flawless form underneath the bandages. When his gaze locked onto hers, she offered him a shy smile.

"He's really pretty," she told Charlie. "I like his white fur."

Charlie looked at her little sister, entranced by the creature's almost ethereal appearance. With a small tilt to her lips, she nodded. "Me too."

* * *

_La la la la la_

_There she sat, again. Almost hard to spot, her pale skin and white garments seemed to camouflage her form against the sea of white flowers. Flowers and… fur…_

_La la la la la_

_The shaggy head lifted and turned to look at Charlie, golden eyes regarding her in magnificent curiosity. The soft breeze whistled through the valley, rippling his fur in much the same way it cast ripples across the surface of flowers._

_La la la la la_

_The girl paused in her ministrations, hand resting on his shoulder while she slowly lifted her head._

_Charlie gasped when their eyes locked for the first time. Light pink irises were encircled by crimson instead of the normal white, but they held no intimidating air as one would expect. As unusual as the eyes appeared, Charlie felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over her as she stared. Peace… and contentment. As if she never needed nor wanted to look away._

_La la la la la_

_The girl bowed her head, nodding as if accepting some request, and the next thing she knew, Charlie was standing before her and the white beast, staring down at them both. She wasn't sure when she had started walking toward them, but suddenly, her legs felt like she had walked for days and collapsed beneath her. The flowers cushioned her fall, joining together to form an almost pillow-like seat instead of parting to let her crash into the ground as they should have. Charlie's surprise was evident on her face._

_The short-haired girl merely smiled and resumed stroking the golden-eyed creature, still watching Charlie._

_La la la la la_

_Charlie's gaze lowered to the beast's, and before she knew what she was doing, she spoke to it._

"_Are you… and the one I found… are you the same?"_

_La la la la la_

_Charlie wasn't quite sure whether she expected a response or not. Granted, this was a dream, and talking animals were not unusual in dreams._

_Nonetheless, the voice she heard in her head surprised her enough to elicit a soft gasp._

"_I am."_

_La la la la la_

_The voice sounded young, almost teenage, and yet this discovery didn't lessen any his natural majesty and brilliance. His tone was deep and rich, like dessert to her ear, as ridiculous as that sounded. But there really wasn't any other way to describe it. The same sensation she felt when a delicious morsel of sweetness touched her tongue and overwhelmed all other senses… that was what it was like to hear his voice._

_She had to hear it again._

"_I'm sorry… if I hurt you, earlier. I didn't mean to."_

_The majestic beast blinked slowly._

"_You didn't."_

_La la la la la_

_Charlie lifted her head, staring up at the wide expanse of cloudless sky broken only by the protruding edges of the cliff faces._

"_Where are we?"_

"_The valley of the lunar flowers."_

"_Lunar flowers?"_

"_Yes."_

_La la la la la_

_She gasped. Her body… it was lifting, slowly… the familiar feeling that tingled through her unconscious self as she began to drift from this world to the world of the living…_

_Quickly, she looked back down at the beast who was watching her rise steadily. There was still… one more thing…_

"_There is one thing I would like to know."_

_The creature tilted his head in typical canine curiosity, yet in a fashion that still appeared completely dignified._

"_Yes?"_

_She fought the effects of waking that threatened to tear her away, lingering as long as she could manage._

_But she was failing…_

"_What is your name?"_

* * *

"I've decided what I'm going to name him."

Mrs. Townsend's fingers hovered over the Braille newspaper as her face tilted up towards her daughter, smiling. The other three Townsend children paused from their activities, the twins posed brandishing cereal spoons like swords, and Whitney standing behind them, ready to intervene. Charlie sat quietly stirring her spoon in her oatmeal, not appearing to make a move to consume any. Beside her chair, the newest member of the household watched her through equally interested eyes.

"Well?" Mrs. Townsend asked encouragingly.

Charlie glanced up at her, then slowly moved her gaze to each of her eagerly awaiting siblings. Finally, her eyes rested on the ground next to her where the white-coated creature of topic was waiting patiently. For a moment, gold locked onto violet, and the other human inhabitants of the household were temporarily forgotten.

* * *

"_There is one thing I would like to know."_

"_Yes?"_

"_What is your name?"_

* * *

She smiled.

"Kiba. His name is Kiba."


	4. The First

Bah. There's never enough interesting stuff going on in my life to write much up in here. Not that it's likely paid much attention to, anyway. -_shrug_-

Anywho... I'm in a weirdly good mood lately. Singing louder than usual in my car (the _only_ place I do my singing, for the record), a bizarre little bounce in my walk as I hum to myself, feeling the need to smile and laugh for no reason whatsoever. It's like I'm in love... 'cept... I'm not.

-_laughs_-

Aaaaaaaanyway...

New chapter. Yays.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**The First**

* * *

"Enjoying your book?"

Charlie looked up at her mother, surprise etched into her face before her brows lowered in suspicion.

"How did you know I was reading?" she asked.

Mrs. Townsend merely smiled in the universal motherly way of saying '_Because I'm a mother, and mothers know all'. _"I heard you two move to the chair by the phone. Whenever I hear you move to that chair and Kiba lying down next to you, I know you're reading a book."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Sure, Miss detective. Not like the turning of pages didn't give anything away."

Her mother nodded. "True," was the only response she gave before returning to her laptop, fingers flying over the keyboard effortlessly.

Charlie chuckled silently and glanced down at the white-haired beast laying before her feet, still watching her as he always did, his head rarely touching his paws. He had been that way the entire week he had stayed at the Townsend house, his attention never straying from the auburn haired girl. Charlie had become accustomed to his glowing golden eyes at night as she slowly drifted to sleep. The same was true for when she woke in the morning. At times, Charlie would vaguely wonder if he slept at all.

"Don't mind her," Charlie advised him humorously. "She just likes to act like she knows everything."

"Who says I need to act?" Mrs. Townsend replied smoothly, arching a smooth eyebrow from over the computer screen.

"Hey, Charlie!"

The girl spun her head around to the pair of siblings fumbling into the living room, a large red ball held between them the obvious reason for their hasty entrance.

Skidding to a stop, the twins paused to catch their breath, casting identical smiles down at Kiba.

"Hello, Kiba."

"Hey, Wolf!"

Charlie rolled her eyes. Tim refused to refer to the beast as anything else but 'Wolf', no matter what they said.

"What did you want, squirts?" she asked patiently.

A loud gurgle from Tim's stomach answered for him, and he smiled sheepishly.

"When is dinner?" Sam asked, rubbing her own stomach to hopefully avoid the same fate.

"Soon," Charlie answered, folding the corner of the page she was on. Closing the book, she placed it on the table stand next to the phone and stood, causing Kiba to get to his feet as well, prepared to follow her wherever she may go. "I need to go grab some milk, though. _Somebody_ drank the last of it this morning," she added, casting a meaningful glance down at her brother.

Tim huffed indignantly. "Well, I certainly couldn't have chocolate-chip cookies _without_ it!" he argued.

"Are you going now?" Mrs. Townsend asked. "It's so late."

"It's hardly six yet, Mom. There's still plenty of light," Charlie assured her. "I'll be fine. All I need to get is a few gallons of milk."

"But what about robbers?" Tim asked. "Robbers are always robbing convenient stores. It's like one of the most dangerous jobs to have."

Sam looked up at Charlie, eyes glassing with tears. "Char, I don't want you to get robbed."

"And not just robbers, either," Tim piped up. "There are still escaped convicts, and serial killers, and aliens, and runaway lions from the zoo, and other wolves like Wolf!"

"Tim, stop that!" Charlie ordered sternly. "That's just crazy! You're gonna get Mom all worried!"

"At least take Kiba with you," Mrs. Townsend reasoned. "Even if he ends up doing nothing other than easing my own maternal nerves, I'd still feel better knowing he was with you."

Charlie rolled her eyes, casting an irritated glance back at her younger brother. "Now, look what you did. You turned Mom into a paranoid freak."

"Nonsense," Mrs. Townsend corrected with a smile. "I became a paranoid freak long before today. Somewhere around eighteen years ago when I walked out of a hospital with a head-strong daughter of mine in my arms."

Charlie looked down at Kiba at the same time he looked up at her, awaiting her response. "I swear, I'm not nearly as psychotic as her. The only thing we have in common is our genes," she told him.

Mrs. Townsend smirked, winking down at where she had guessed Kiba to be. "So says the daughter of mine who wanted to get you, a guard dog, for the family."

Charlie grabbed her purse and the car keys hanging on the rack, opening the door to allow Kiba to go before her. "_Good bye_, Mother."

_This girl,_ Kiba thought. _She seems… so human… so why does she smell like a flower maiden?_

_It's been an entire week, now_, he reasoned as he sat contentedly in the passenger seat, watching Charlie drive. _But still… I've learned nothing. She really isn't anything like Cheza…_

_Cheza was always quiet while this girl speaks a lot. Not too much, but she certainly isn't quiet. Not around her siblings, anyway. She always seems to act as the dominant among them, demanding respect. Cheza never demanded anything. We gave her respect not really because she earned it, but because she was the flower maiden._ Our_ flower maiden. Our flower maiden that was going to lead us to paradise._

_Cheza was always so gentle and peaceful. This girl… I think she's gentle, too, in a way, but I wouldn't quite call her peaceful. That isn't the word._

Kiba's ears perked when she turned up the radio and began humming softly. After listening for a few moments, he decided it wasn't an unpleasant sound and relaxed with a soft sigh.

_No, she seems more… animated, I suppose… full of life._

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Charlie smile and reach over to scratch behind his left ear. As usual, he sank into her touch, eyelids drooping heavily.

_They're so differnent… yet so.. alike… that scent… lunar flowers…_

He was shocked to discover himself close to whimpering after she pulled her hand away. They were already parked in front of the grocery store.

Oblivious to his displeasure, Charlie stepped out and let Kiba jump down, letting him walk with her all the way to the door. He looked up at her with a confused expression when she stopped and turned to face him.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to wait here," she told him, kneeling to level her eyes with his. "Most stores have these stupid rules about not allowing pets inside, so unfortunately, that means you can't come with me. But I promise I'll only be a few minutes, okay?"

Kiba resisted the urge to snort indignantly. _I should be thankful none of the others are here to see this,_ he thought. _I could just imagine what Tsume would have to say about a human explaining trivial matters to a wolf like a mother would a child._ Nonetheless, he sat obediently and looked up at her, assuring her he would stay put.

Smiling, Charlie straightened. "I'd say 'good boy', but something tells me you wouldn't appreciate that," she told him teasingly. "But I promise I won't be long."

After she went inside, Kiba moved to lean his front paws up against the window, watching the girl as she collected what she needed from within the small store. Absently, he continued to note similarities and differences between her and Cheza as she moved about. The white beast even allowed a small, toothy smile to grace his muzzle as he entertained thoughts of his flower maiden adjusting to life in this paradise, performing such trivial tasks as shopping and attending school.

As she approached the checking line, Kiba's thought were abruptly shifted as he noticed two of the store's other customers watching Charlie with much the same attention as he was. They were young men, probably not that much older than Charlie, but their grungy, disheveled appearances and the way their eyes roamed over Charlie's figure set his senses on high alert.

As the girl finished checking out and made her way toward him with a bag tucked in each arm and her purse draped over them both, he noticed the pair's exchange of grins as they advanced toward her.

"See? That didn't take too long, did it?" Charlie asked him jovially, completely oblivious to either the two boys approach or of Kiba's tense posture.

It was when they were nearly at the exit that Kiba jumped to his feet and began to growl, golden eyes blazing as he stood protectively in front of Charlie. Having never seen him act remotely aggressive in any way, the clueless girl stared down at him like he had just grown a second head.

"Kiba? What's wrong?" she asked.

A low chuckle drew her attention from her aggravated friend, and her head whipped around to finally spot the two boys.

One of them chuckled again, eyes flicking down to Kiba briefly before returning to her, taking his time in letting his gaze travel up her body, across the curves of her torso and finally resting on her face with a wicked grin. "I don't think your little puppy likes us."

Charlie clutched the bags closer to her and took a step back, gulping. _Of all times for Mom to be right…_

"Come on, Fido," added the second boy, grinning down at Kiba as his growling turned a shade louder, long canines completely exposed. "We just want to say hello-"

Without warning, Kiba jumped forward and clamped his jaws down on the unguarded hand of the second boy, earning a yelp of surprise and pain as both boys jumped back. The boy clutched his bleeding appendage to his chest, whining pitifully as his companion eyed the damage. Kiba's fangs had completely punctured through the skin to the bone; had he applied anymore pressure, the entire bone would have cleanly snapped in two.

"You fucking mutt!" the first boy shouted, glaring venomously at Kiba.

Kiba glared right back, eyes glowering into molten amber. _Stay away from her_ was his clear message.

He snorted loudly, and was about to send a second message to the uninjured boy when he suddenly stopped- and breathed in deeply. Expertly, his nose sifted through the scents around him- the faint smell of lunar flowers from the shivering girl behind him, the thick odor of blood and sweat, the light prickling he recognized as the boys' fear, and underneath all that was… something else. Something… familiar…

The shock from this discovery, however, left Kiba somewhat distracted. This did not go unnoticed by the boys. With a quick step forward, the first boy darted around Kiba and toward Charlie, grinning in triumph as she gasped sharply, eyes widening. Lucky for her, however, he didn't have the time to do more than snatch her purse and spin around, sprinting down the street with his partner right behind him.

Charlie, still frozen, could do little more than watch them run away, breath still held high in her throat and her jaw slacked open.

A streak of white crossing her vision unfroze her quickly enough, though. Dropping her bags, she screamed out at the three disappearing figures.

"Kiba! No! _Kiba!!_"

Kiba paid her no heed. While a small portion of his mind argued he should return and guard her, a much larger portion encouraged him to go faster. But he made sure to keep his speed in check. Afterall, the goal here wasn't to catch them.

They had all run about five blocks from the store before the two boys rounded a sharp corner. Not wanting to lose them, Kiba put out a short burst of speed and leapt into the dark alleyway. Something most humans shouldn't try, and with good reason.

Luckily, he wasn't a human, and his nose alerted him of the presence of others far before the gang of humans jumped down to surround him, each armed with a baseball bat or plank of wood or other form of primitive weapon. The two boys he had been chasing grinned smugly down at him from the safety of the top of a rusted truck. Despite himself, Kiba snorted. Like that would _really_ keep them safe… stupid humans.

"Hey, there, pooch," cackled a low voice behind him.

"Come to fetch your bone?"

"Hah, yeah, a bone named T-Bone."

"Shut up, Carl!" growled the boy cradling his now bandaged hand to his chest. "Just kill the stupid mutt, already!"

Kiba's growl crescendoed as the group closed in, each with their own taunt to offer. The wolf was unimpressed, and let anyone who wandered too close know it with a threatening snap of his jaws. He crouched low, preparing for his attack-

Then that scent… that scent came alive again… it came closer…

_He's here._

Kiba stopped growling, but refused to move from his defensive position. He barely lifted his eyes to meet the gaze of an all too familiar face.

"What the hell is going on?"

Everyone jumped at the authoritative voice, spinning around to face the speaker. A tall, lean figure looked down at them through a pair of thin shades. Tight leather pants slung low about his hips flaunted a strip of taut muscle rippling beneath darkly tanned skin. More black leather hugged his abdomen, slitted at his shoulders and exposing a grey tank top and a cross-shaped scar through a low V-neck. A thick neck supported a hard, chiseled head with thin, tightened lips and lowered brows sloping down from a domed top of silvery hair pulled back into a slim rat-tail at the nape of his neck.

This was their leader.

"Boss!"

The teenager previously identified as "T-bone" scrambled off the truck and submissively approached the leader, holding out Charlie's small denim purse as an offering. "Boss, I nearly got my hand bit off by that dumb mutt trying to score this from some chick."

The leader didn't even bother to grace his own inferior with a glance. His focus was locked on the white wolf crouched within the circle of his own lackeys. Instead, he quickly barked out a single word.

"Out."

Everyone stared at him with dropped jaws, exchanging confused glances and whispering questions amongst themselves.

But they should have known better. Their leader was not a patient man.

"I SAID OUT!"

He didn't need to repeat himself a third time. The gang scrambled away from their angered leader as quickly as they could, taking care to skirt around the tensed white wolf still crouching in their midst. T-Bone abandoned the purse, rushing to join his mates. Once they cleared both wolf and master, it was every man for himself, running in every direction but the way they came. It didn't take long before it was just the two of them… man and wolf… or, rather…

"What the hell are you doing here?" the young man demanded. "I thought I saw the last of you, already."

Kiba's muzzle moved in a wolfish grin as he eased out of his defensive stance. _Nice to see you, too._

The dark-skinned man sneered. "Don't give me that crap, you arrogant prick."

_I'm just as surprised as you are,_ Kiba assured him.

The young man sighed, removing his shades to glare down at the white wolf through narrowed violet eyes. "I don't think I've _ever_ seen you surprised."

Kiba ignored him in favor of voicing a concern. _What are you doing here? Starting yet another human gang?_

Arms crossing over his chest, the leather-clad man snorted disdainfully. "I've _been_ here for months. I doubt you can say the same."

_No, you're right. I've… recently settled here,_ Kiba admitted.

He raised a sculpted eyebrow. "Settle? You?"

_I have my reasons,_ was Kiba's only response as he calmly sat himself down.

The young man's eyes rolled in annoyance. "You and your reasons." Readjusting himself, the young man leaned up against the brick wall with a sigh. "So tell me, what are your reasons, this time?"

Kiba studied him carefully before responding. _Why don't you find out for yourself?_

Violet eyes snapped to lock with calm amber, brows lowering sharply. Wary and yet curious in spite of himself, he slowly closed his eyes and lifted his nose, sniffing the air tentatively. What he detected sent him staggering to his feet, eyes snapping open to stare incredulously at the still calm wolf.

"Wha-… what the hell!?" he exclaimed. "That's… _impossible_! She can't still be-"

_It's not Cheza,_ Kiba informed him quietly.

As confused as the young man was, he suddenly found himself doubly shocked. "Don't try to fool me, Kiba. I know that scent after all that shit we had to go through because _you_ wanted to follow that scent, so don't you dare tell me that's not-"

_It's not Cheza… but it is lunar flower…_

And there went another spike to his confusion. He frowned down at his companion, trying to comprehend what he was implying. "What are you saying?"

Kiba took a deep breath before he plunged into his explanation. _Her name is Charlie. I only found her last week, but I've been following her scent for a while now._

The young man blinked in disbelief. "And you're telling me this chick… smells like Cheza?"

_Yes. I can't explain why or how… but this girl is a flower maiden._

"Kiba! Kiba!"

Both wolf and young man looked up at the new voice calling out from a distance. The human's frown deepened while Kiba pushed himself to his feet.

Violet eyes flicked down to Kiba. "That's her?"

_Yes. I had better get going._

The young man nodded… before his eyes widened and he spun around to glare down at the white wolf. "Wait… you mean you're this girl's _pet_?"

Kiba refused to look him in the eye as he answered. _I needed to get close to her to find out why she smells of lunar flowers. And besides… she doesn't treat me as a pet._

The human snorted. "Sure."

_No… it's hard to explain… sort of like Cheza, almost…_

"Kiba! Kiba, where are you?" came Charlie's worried voice again, louder this time.

"Better get back to your owner," the young man scoffed. "Wouldn't want her to worry over her pet, now, would we?"

Kiba cast a firm glare back at him before spinning around and padding toward where he heard and smelled Charlie approaching.

"Wait! Kiba!" his long-time friend called out.

Kiba paused just as he was about to round the corner, glancing back at his leather-clad companion. Leaning down, the young man scooped up the abandoned denim purse and chucked in toward him, muttering a low, "Here, catch."

Tilting his head back, Kiba caught the article in his mouth and locked gazes with his old ally briefly before walking out of sight. Spotting Charlie stepping out of an alleyway, he jogged over to her.

"Kiba!" she exclaimed, rushing forward. Dropping to her knees, she wrapped her arms around his chest, hugging him tightly. And, despite the fact that he could still feel the young man's gaze on his back, it literally took all of his control to not sink into the cloud of lunar flower fragrance enveloping him as she held onto him.

"You little moron," Charlie whispered hoarsely, pulling away just far enough to let him see the deep frown etched on her face. "Don't you dare scare me like that again!"

Kiba grumbled his own protest with the purse still lodged in his mouth.

Charlie shook her head firmly. "I don't care," she told him, half-guessing the meaning behind his grumble as she tugged her purse free. "You're a heck of a lot more important than a stupid purse, got that?"

She barely heard the low chuckle drifting from the alleyway.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing."

That time, she heard it perfectly, and with a gasp, her head snapped up to acknowledge the black leather stranger, smirking down at the human and wolf through his dark shades.

But, despite all his own taunting and presuppositions, as soon as the girl's dark eyes looked up to meet his own, all thoughts of teasing his wolf friend vanished. Only Kiba noticed the young man's slacked jaws and awestruck expression as the overwhelming scent registered as very familiar.

Frightened by the intimidating stranger, Charlie stumbled to her feet, eyes locked on the young man. It didn't exactly occur to her that Kiba was completely relaxed. Had she noticed, she might have realized that he was not a threat to her.

Kiba watched the exchange of gazes in amusement. _He hasn't changed at all, has he?_ He mused thoughtfully. With great reluctance, Kiba produced a low grumbling sound from the back of his throat, looking up at the young man.

This succeeded in breaking him from his trance as he suddenly let out the breath he didn't even know he was holding, shaking his head. Casting a quick glance down at the white wolf, he returned his gaze back to the girl, still shivering.

"Make sure you take good care of him," he instructed softly before spinning around and leaping back into the shadows.

Charlie stared at the spot where the stranger stood long after he left, still completely frozen in place.

Warmth beneath her hand finally snapped her back into reality, and wordlessly, she turned her head to stare down at Kiba. The white beast had moved his head to her hand, rubbing his fur against her skin as he nudged her purse, reminding her of their task.

"Oh, right," she replied numbly, looking at her purse. "Come on, then. Let's go."

With one last glance back at the direction the young man had disappeared, Charlie finally faced the direction they had came and began walking, feeling Kiba fall into step beside her.

Charlie sighed, shaking her head. _So many weird things… all revolving around you… maybe I should have gone with the beagle, instead?_

With a smile, Charlie shook her head, dispelling the thought immediately. When Kiba looked up at her questioningly, she chuckled.

"How about we just keep this whole incident between the two of us? Mom doesn't need to know, right?"

Kiba grumbled his agreement as they proceeded back to the car. _No… she doesn't need to know… but make sure you don't forget, Charlie._

_La la laa la laaaaa_

_The humming was slightly different this time, and Charlie noticed it. While in the many dreams before, it seemed little more than a wordless, tuneless series of chords. Now, she was vaguely aware of a distinct beat, notes extending to fit within the measured melody._

_La la laaa laa la laaaa_

_Looking up, Charlie saw the girl seated among the flowers, humming softly as she stroked Kiba's fur. The said wolf was staring calmly at her, beckoning her forward silently._

_Charlie came willingly, falling to her knees before the wolf and girl._

_La la la la laaaaa_

_Reaching forward, Charlie rested her hand on the beast's head, smiling down at him as his golden gaze locked onto hers._

_Then, slowly, he moved his head, his eyes looking out across the rippling white field at some unseen object. Curious and confused, Charlie followed his gaze._

_Violet met pale gold._

_La la laaaa_

_Standing out against the horizon was another wolf, but far unlike the one beneath the girl's hand. Though similar in form, the newcomer's coat was a dark coal grey with a strip of a lighter patch stretching from his muzzle to his chest, which sported a vaguely familiar looking cross-shaped scar. Triangular ears sat perked atop his head as he focused his intimidating gaze upon the trio._

"_He is here."_

_Charlie looked down at Kiba whose gaze remained firm on the stranger wolf. Frowning, she looked back up at the dark creature._

"_He?"_

"_Yes… Tsume…"_

_Laa la laaaa_

"_Tsume."_

For the record... the more I write/read this... the more I want a Kiba pet of my own. A friend of mine has two wolf hybrids, almost completely white, and I want the clone of the big, handsome Cosmo so I can name him Kiba. -_sighs wistfully_-


	5. The Others

Forewarning, this is my last documented chapter. So from here on out, I'm going to have to actually buckle down and get some writing done.

Let me quote an upcoming character to voice my opinion in the matter:

"Grumble grumble."

**Chapter 5**

**The Others**

* * *

_Grumble grumble_

"Man… I am _so_ hungry…"

Amongst the streets of the city, a young teenager trudged along, gripping his stomach delicately. A mop of ginger hair hung limply before dull, ruby eyes. A hand reached up to rub his neck anxiously, almost as if reminding himself of something that was no longer there. With a sigh, he lowered the hand and wearily looked about his surroundings.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and his nose began to twitch suspiciously. His head snapped up, spinning around wildly.

"Is that… is that what I think I smell?"

Slowly, the young man turned, stopping as his eyes finally rested onto the source of the smell. And sure enough… there it was… just across the street. Eyes scanning left and right, he stuck his hands in his pockets and made his way over, eyes firmly locked on his target.

The street was crossed… the people were walking by, not noticing the tall stranger making his way, innocently walking by… hand outstretched…

…and then… he had it…

* * *

"Oh, man… that hit the spot!"

The young man now walked down a residential sidewalk, rubbing his stomach complacently. His tongue slid out of his mouth to catch the last few traces of catsup and bread crumbs.

He grinned up at the sky, folding his hands behind his head. "Never underestimate the power of a good hot dog!"

"Such a good boy!"

The young man paused, lowering his head to regard a woman across the street, smiling down at her pet dog. The creature itself, lean and tawny in color with large, intelligent-looking eyes, looked up at the woman in adoration, his tongue rolling of his mouth as he smiled. He yipped gaily in response, jumping about her feet excitedly, rattling a silver-banded bracelet on his paw.

The elder woman giggled, leaning over slowly to rub her pet's head.

The large dog dropped his rump on the pavement to savor the attention, letting his gaze wander lazily. A pigeon lighting upon a porch railing caught his eye for a moment before it moved again, from a car backing out of the driveway to the young man in the bright yellow sweatshirt across the street. At the house behind him, the front door opened and a woman stepped outside with her daughter, and after that-

-the beast's eyes snapped back onto the young man, ears perked with intrigue.

The teenager remained still, watching the animal who studied him so curiously without saying a word. For the moment, the beast focused on the young man with such intensity, when his owner called on him, he spun around to discover the woman was already at the door waiting for him. Casting a last glance at the boy, the dog stood and trotted to his mistress's side, loping into the house as she shut the door behind him.

"Oh brother."

The young man rolled his eyes as he lowered his arms, glanced up and down the street, and jogged across the asphalt. Just as he stepped foot onto the pavement, the door opened again, and a young boy walked out. Long, wavy auburn locks hung bouncing about his chin as the child's copper-colored eyes widened in excitement upon spotting the approaching young man.

"Hige! Is that you?" he chirped elatedly.

"Yeah, yeah," the teenager replied. "What are you doing here, runt?"

"I live here with my Granny," the child answered, folding his arms behind his head as his smile grew. "She's great, isn't she? She takes me for walks, and we go to the park to chase birds, and she gives me treats that taste like bacon!"

Hige rolled his eyes as the child went on and on, reciting the long list of reasons why his Granny was wonderful. Before he got too far, Hige yawned abruptly. "Yeah, yeah, that's nice. But what are you doing here, Toboe? What are you _really_ doing here?" he asked again, a little more impatiently.

The child blinked, temporarily forgetting her was interrupted, and merely stared at his old friend. "Do you mean… you mean you smelled it too?"

Hige scoffed indignantly. "What are you, stupid? You're talking to the owner of the best nose there is. Of _course_ I smelled it. I still smell it now."

Toboe frowned, bristling defensively. "Well, if you're so good, then why haven't you found her, yet?"

"Because her scent is all over the place," Hige snapped back. "If you weren't so stupid, then you'd have realized that by now. I've been trying to track it for a few days, now, unlike _some_ of us who prefer playing fetch with Granny."

"I looked, too!" Toboe argued. "But I always lost her trail. I don't know why. Besides, I thought she wasn't even supposed to be here."

"Same here," Hige muttered, turning his gaze from the child to down the street with a sigh. "I wonder if Tsume and Kiba have had any better luck."

"Are they here, too?" Toboe asked, getting excited all over again.

"I'd be willing to bet my whiskers that they are, Kiba especially. You know how he gets around Cheza."

"So we'll all be together again!" Toboe exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "The four of us and our flower maiden. It'll be just like the old times!"

Hige chuckled to himself. "Hopefully without the nobles on our tails, though."

"You said it," Toboe agreed, nodding. "So… what're you gonna do, now?"

The young man shrugged, stretching his arms over his head languidly. "Look for Cheza and the others, of course. You can stay and play with your Granny like the pup you are." And with that, he spun around and made his way back across the street, whistling carelessly.

Toboe could do little more than stare after him, glancing back at his house nervously. Finally, biting his lip, Toboe turned and started running after him.

"Hey, Hige! Wait for me!"

* * *

"Mom! I'm going to take Kiba for a walk!" Charlie called out as she shut the door behind her and turned to smile down at the very large dog. "Well, shall we go?"

Kiba looked up at her expectantly, and she took this as a 'yes'. Walking down the porch steps, the pair turned left at the sidewalk and began their daily stroll through the neighborhood. Since the incident at the grocery store the other night, however, Charlie had begun to move their walks from the evening to the late afternoon. While she still felt completely safe with Kiba always with her, she didn't want to take any chances.

During their walks, she never held the beast on a leash. Despite all that the man at the pound warned her about him, she simply didn't find it necessary. No matter where she went, Kiba was never more than a few steps behind her. Even when passing strangers or dogs barking madly at him, he ignored them all. Nonetheless, if anyone paused to compliment her on her new 'pet' or lean down to touch him, she'd just as soon gently push them away with a stern warning, and people would typically keep their distance. Even still, she had a feeling that Kiba wouldn't attack anyone unless they threatened either of them.

_It's rather odd, if you think about it,_ she told herself, sneaking an occasional glance down at her companion from time to time. _How he's so protective of me… I wonder if he'd be like that if I left him in charge of the twins or Mom? She was right… it does almost feel as if he chose me instead of the other way around. It feels like he understands me when I talk to him, like I were talking to another person instead of a dog. He's always watching me, even when I go to sleep… and in my dreams, he watches me, too. What is it you think of while you watch me, Kiba? What is it that you want from me?_

As she was staring, Kiba suddenly stopped and lifted his head, ears perked inquiringly. Charlie stopped to watch him, intrigued by his bizarre behavior. She figured that someone was approaching, although it was unusual for him to actual be interested in a stranger. And yet, he wasn't growling, so she didn't feel scared. After the previous night's events, she had learned to trust his instincts.

"What's the matter, Kiba? Who's coming?" she asked quietly, but whether or not she actually expected him to respond, her answer came barging in himself.

"Hige! Hige, where are you?"

Leaping on top of a brick wall, a young boy looked around anxiously. Dark eyes scanned the area, obviously in search of some lost companion of his. Upon spotting Charlie, his first reaction was to smile hopefully-

-until he got a good look at her 'pet'.

"What? Ki- Oof!"

In his eagerness, he didn't quite pay attention to his footing, and found himself dropping from the wall into a nieghbor's bushes, though they didn't provide much of a cushion for his landing by the sound of his yelps.

Without a second though, Charlie rushed forward, hardly noticing that, for once, Kiba did not follow. "Hang on! I'll help you," she called out, reaching the boy within seconds. However, upon arriving, she bit her lip. The boy's clothes were all caught up in the tiny thorns, and no doubt, the child as well. It might be even more painful if she wasn't careful.

"Are you okay?" she asked instead.

"Uh… y-yeah, I think so," he mumbled, eyes now locking on the girl. For a brief moment, his nose twitched, and his eyes widened. "You… you're-"

"Gimme a second, here," Charlie told him, oblivious to the boy's amazement. With careful fingers, she began to tug his shirt away from the thorns one by one. On occasion, she would stop with a small hiss, catching herself by the sharp, needle-like protrusions, but quickly enough, she would return to her task of rescuing the boy. The child himself merely watched her open-mouthed, casting a questioning glance up at Kiba. The white wolf merely returned his glance with a firm one of his own, slowly shaking his head.

Before the boy could question further, however, Charlie suddenly took a step back and offered the boy her hand. "It looked like most of them were stuck on your bracelet, but I got most of them out. Here, see if you can't get out now," she instructed.

"Um… o-okay," he mumbled, taking her hand lightly. With a few sharp tugs on Charlie's part, she managed to finally free the boy without harm.

"You're okay?" Charlie asked, giving the boy a good look over. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"N-no!" he replied quickly. "No, I'm fine!... I mean… um… thank you… thank you very much!"

Charlie smiled. "I'm glad to hear that… you don't live around here, do you? I don't think I've ever seen you around here before. Are you lost?"

"Oh, n-no! I just got separated from my… er, friend. He should be around here, somewhere."

"Do you want us to help you find your friend, then?" Charlie asked, gesturing her hand toward Kiba. "I'm sure if we all stick together, we could find him."

The boy's eyes slowly moved from Charlie to Kiba, the two exchanging meaningful expressions. Hidden from Charlie's view, the wolf nodded slowly, and the child returned his gaze to the girl, smiling.

"Sure! I'd like that!"

"Good to hear," Charlie replied, her smile growing. "So, what's your name, anyway?"

"Me? My name is-"

"Toboe!"

All three pairs of eyes spun to spot the speaker, the ginger-haired young man Charlie could only guess was Hige.

"_There_ you are!" he exclaimed, jogging up to the boy, girl and beast. "I've been looking all over for you! Come on, I think I've found the flower mai-"

"Hige!" Toboe interrupted gaily, "I'm so glad I found you. See?" he added, turning to Charlie. "This is my friend I was looking for. This is Hige."

"_This_ is your friend?" Charlie repeated in disbelief, glancing back at the young man that seemed far closer to her own age than Toboe's.

"Yup. That's Hige!"

As if suddenly noticing her presence, Hige flashed the girl a rather charming smile. "Well, hello there! My name's Hige. Thank you so much for finding my little pal, for me. Perhaps I can make it up to you? Maybe by dinner or-"

"_Hige_," Toboe hissed, frowning. "I fell into a big bush, and this girl helped me out. Don't you think her _dog_ is really neat?"

Hige blinked, turning away from a confused Charlie to glare at Toboe briefly before turning his attention to the 'dog' in question. Kiba merely rolled his eyes, wishing he had the freedom to scold the young man. _I can't believe that after all this time, he still pines after women… use your nose, fool._

Once again, Hige found himself blinking, stunned. Raising a finger to point down at the wolf, he exclaimed, "Hey! Ki-"

"Keep out of trouble, I know," Toboe quickly put in, smiling nervously at Charlie who still remained confused, staring back and forth between boy and teen. "Come on, Hige. We should get going. Thank you again for everything, Miss!"

While still confused, Charlie could not forget her manners, and smiled politely down at the boy. "Just call me Charlie. And stay away from walls and thorny bushes, okay?"

"Okay! I will," Toboe promised, trying desperately to tug Hige away.

Hige, himself, was still staring at Kiba, awestruck. When he finally looked away, he did so only far enough to avert his wide-eyed stare on Charlie. "Then that means… that you're…"

"Bye, Charlie!" Toboe exclaimed, now shoving Hige away as fast as he could. "We'll see you soon!" And, before Charlie could utter another word, the pair of unusual boys disappeared around the corner.

Charlie and Kiba merely stood where they were left, staring ahead in the direction Toboe and Hige vanished silently. Neither moved, and both had a different set of thoughts running through their minds.

Simultaneously, they looked at each other curiously.

"Well… that was interesting, wasn't it?" Charlie commented lightly.

Kiba's responding expression almost made her laugh. She could have sworn that he looked like he was saying, _You have no idea._

* * *

_La la laa la laaaaa_

_The dark-furred wolf joined them this time. Seated with Kiba on her right and him on her left, she smiled welcomingly at the newcomer. "Hello, Tsume. I'm Charlie."_

_The wolf barely spared a glance at her before he looked away, snorting gruffly._

_Brows furrowing, Charlie glanced back at the singing girl. But she did nothing out of the ordinary from what she did every night- humming her mysterious song with a small smile on her face, her heavy-lidded eyes staring out ahead of her in much the same way her mother's blue eyes did._

_La la laaa laa la laaaa_

"_They've finally arrived... it's about time."_

_This voice was low and gruff, obviously not the smooth, regal voice she had come to recognize as Kiba's. Turning her head back to Tsume, she noticed that his gaze was cast out over the horizon, identical to Kiba had she turned around._

_Lifting her own eyes, she saw the source of their attention- two more wolves._

_La la la la laaaaa_

_Eagerly, the smallest of the two darted forward, racing over the white hills like the exuberant child he was. She guessed he was hardly more than a pup by the way he greeted her, licking her face enthusiastically. Laughing, she gently pushed him away. At first, he tried to resist, insisting on licking her, but a few well-placed scratches had him pulling back obediently, tail thumping against the ground. Charlie barely had time to register the somewhat familiar-looking bangle binding his forepaw before his companion joined him._

_The fourth wolf looked more doggish than the other with his fluffed out fur, almost ginger in color, and his shorter snout, the latter of which he promptly put to work, sniffing her hair curiously. To him, she also had to offer a giggling shove, but he seemed a little more accepting of this than the pup. Nonetheless, she found herself soon scratching him as well. He seemed particularly pleased when she ran her nails over his neck in the area where his fur looked somewhat pressed, as if something had bound his neck once before._

_La la laaaa_

"_And what are your names?" she asked, amused by the two so absorbed by her attention._

_The pup maneuvered his head so that he could stare at her through his intelligent-looking amber eyes, and yet still keep her ever-attentive fingers to work scratching his ears. "What do you mean? You already know our names."_

_Charlie blinked at the pup, slowly registering his child-like voice. "I do?"_

"_Yup," replied the fluffy one. "We told you, already. Don't you remember?... move a little to the left, would ya?"_

"_But," Charlie argued, "I don't remember ever-"_

_Laa la laaaa_

"_Don't worry," came Kiba's soothing voice as she felt herself drifting away again. "We are all united again. You will meet us soon."_

"_I will?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Kay."_


End file.
